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Pearl wasn’t mad. She wasn’t. She wasn’t even in the slightest bit irritated that practically everyone else had gotten to visit Gem before her. She was calm and collected and other such emotions that would mean she’d be allowed to keep coming back.
(But, really? Fwhip she got, he was her brother. Sausage, maybe pushing it a bit but he did know more than anyone else what it was like to be corrupted. Scott ?)
It was fine. She was fine with only getting updated about her girlfriend from everyone else. Katherine had cleared her to visit, so she was fine.
Just… be careful. She’d written in her letter, the one Pearl had skimmed through for confirmation she could come before having to go back and read properly. She’s still affected. You can’t expect too much of her yet, so please be patient.
I mean it.
Which, fine, maybe Katherine had a small point. But as much as the other empires saw her as loud and impulsive, she knew when to wait quietly for a better opportunity to strike.
Gem never would have opened up to her otherwise.
Even knowing this it was hard to still the nervous fluttering of her wings, hands clenching and unclenching out of fists constantly. To anyone that didn’t know her well it would have been a sign of aggression, more comfortable in a fight than in peace, and that assumption suited her needs well for the most part. It was always best to be taken seriously, and most were much more cautious when they took her genuinely nervous ticks as threats.
Her close allies, like Katherine, like Gem , knew what it really meant, which was probably the only reason she wasn’t immediately kicked out of the Overgrown.
“Be patient with her,” Katherine reiterated softly, giving her a look that was almost pitying. “She’s recovering, but she’s still angry. It’s… no one will blame you if you need to step out.”
Clench. Unclench.
“I know. Can I please see her yet?” Politeness always worked best with fae, even if it was undercut by her fidgeting..
She sighed, hesitating another moment before pressing a small potion vial into her hands.
“See if you can get her to drink this. She needs the effects to heal and so far she’s been uncooperative. Neither of us like the splash, it’s less effective and she reacts… poorly, but it has to be done. You might have more luck than any of us have.”
Pearl just nodded, taking the potion and tucking it away into her pocket with barely concealed impatience. “I’ll bring it up. Can I see her yet? ”
The moment the door was unlocked she practically sprinted inside, letting out a sharp breath once she was finally face to face with-
“ Gem. How- how are you doing?”
If her appearance hadn’t been a clear indicator, the withering glare she shot Pearl would have been answer enough.
“Great. Just excellent. I love being kidnapped again and force fed untested potions.”
Gem’s eyes flicked to her pocket, the outline of the vial clearly visible in the dim light, her scowl tinged with the slightest trace of fear. Pearl immediately set it aside.
“We’re just trying to help, Gem. Remember, you wanted the help? You surrendered so you could get better. The crystal is gone. It can’t give you orders anymore.”
“I know that!” She bunched up the blanket before deflating slightly. Her next words sounded more unsure. “I know that. It’s just- muddled. But I know that and I’m fine so can you tell Katherine to let me go home already?”
Pearl sighed and took a step towards the bed. Another glare redirected her to the nearby chair instead.
“You’re not fine. I know it’s hard to reach out for help, but you’re being so brave and-”
“Oh fuck off, Pearl.”
Gem looked away, pulling her knee up to her chest and resting her arm across it. Her hand grasped at something around her neck. She didn’t seem to register there was nothing there.
“Don’t pretend like you’re not happy to see me like this. Xornoth warned me about it. About all of you.”
“Why would I ever want this?” Pearl fought to keep her voice even against the evergrowing worry that built in her chest. “I want you safe. I want you healthy. This is neither. Xornoth lies , Gem.”
She didn’t respond.
The two sat quietly for another ten minutes, Gem deaf to the world as she sat staring at the wall, before Katherine came to pull her out again.
The potion remained untouched on the table.
~
It was a few days before Pearl worked up the courage to go back. She knew she should have sooner, Gem needed any familiar comfort she could get, but Katherine had advised her to stay away for a while anyway.
(Giving her an excuse, she knew, but she couldn’t say she didn’t appreciate it.)
She’d even brought some of Gem’s things from the Cliffs, books, clothes, even her weighted cloak. Anything to make her feel more at home.
Selfishly, she also wanted Gem out of the pale pinks of the Overgrown. It didn’t suit her at all, and she’d always been so meticulous about the colours she wore. She just hoped it would help.
Though anything was better than red. There’d been too much red.
“Today isn’t a good time.”
Katherine grabbed Pearl’s arm as soon as she got close, unfaltering at her glare. The question of why was quickly answered by a loud thumping against Gem’s door.
“ Let me out! Katherine, you can’t keep me here! It’s not safe! ”
“She’s been… erratic.” She admitted, glancing over at the rattling door. “Convinced she’s in danger, that we’re all going to hurt her. Not even Fwhip got through to her.”
“ Please! It’s just a baby! ”
Any thoughts of politeness fled from Pearl’s mind.
“What did you think would happen when you locked her up? That she’d just conveniently forget about the last time she was kidnapped and tortured for information? Because I’ll bet you anything that’s what she thinks is going on.”
Without another thought she turned and stormed into the room, turning the handle with such force it broke clean through the lock. She’d apologise later. Probably.
“ Pearl? Pearl you have to help me, it’s not safe- they want the baby!”
Gem had immediately latched onto her dress. If her trembling hadn’t been worrying enough, the way she melted into Pearl’s light touch would have been like a glow ink sign something was wrong. She gently pulled her away from the door.
“No one here is going to hurt the egg, I promise. It’s still safe in your tower. Gandalf is watching it and he wouldn’t let anyone through. Do you trust him?”
She nodded. It was too hesitant to be of much comfort, but her breathing had started to slow at the very least.
“Xornoth is going to take the egg, they’re- no- I’m working for them they’re protecting it so someone else is trying- Katherine? She’s… she’s keeping me here. She wants it. You can’t let her, Pearl please -”
“You’re ok, Gemstone.” Pearl ran a hand through her hair with a frown. It was far knottier than she’d ever normally let it get. “Xornoth is gone. They had you for a bit, but you were so strong and fought them enough to come to Katherine. She has no use for the egg, so she’s not going to hurt it.”
Gem’s only response was to clutch her dress tighter, running her thumb over the fabric in the subtle self soothing gesture she’d trained herself into long ago. Maybe one day they’d work through that, but there were more important issues to deal with first.
“It’s so blurry,” she admitted at a whisper. “I- everything’s blended together. I can hear you and I can hear them and I can hear Sausage and Joey- it’s too much.”
Hesitantly, Pearl reached for the potion on the table.
“This can help you. It might be hard, but drinking it is going to clear your head a bit. You just need to trust me. Please.”
“...Alright.”
~
In another week Katherine had deemed Gem ready to go for short walks. She still needed supervision, in case she regressed or the cane wasn’t enough to support her, but Pearl was more than happy to keep her company.
She reached out to hold Pearl’s hand. In that moment, she knew they would both be ok.
They could heal. Together.